Gaming terminals, such as slot machines, video poker machines and the like, have been a cornerstone of the gaming industry for several years. Generally, the popularity of such machines with players is dependent on the likelihood (or perceived likelihood) of winning money at the machine and the intrinsic entertainment value of the machine relative to other available gaming options.
Where the available gaming options include a number of competing machines and the expectation of winning at each machine is roughly the same (or believed to be the same), players are likely to be attracted to the most entertaining and exciting machines. Operators consequently strive to employ the most entertaining and exciting machines, features, and enhancements available because such machines attract frequent play and hence increase profitability to the operator.
The use of video with gaming terminals has increased the entertainment value for many wagering games. With regard to video poker terminals, many players prefer a game that has more of a look and a feel of the traditional poker game in which individual cards are dealt and individually displayed. Furthermore, because of the number of player inputs (e.g., deal, draw, hold, wager amounts, etc.), providing an ergonomically positioned set of mechanical buttons enhances the gaming experience and the speed of play, which operators prefer because it increases the total coin input to the video poker terminal. The present invention addresses these needs.